Tim Daly

Tim Daly stars in ABC’s “Private Practice” as Pete Wilder, a holistic doctor. He appeared in several episodes of HBO’s hit series “The Sopranos,” for which he received an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. Daly’s acting resume spans a long list of diverse projects, including the films “Diner,” “Against the Ropes,” “Return To Sender,” “Basic,” and “The Object of My Affection.” After “Diner,” he went on to starring roles “In Made in Heaven,” “Year of the Comet,” and “Denise Calls Up.” On the small screen, Daly is the voice of iconic superhero Superman, and starred in numerous acclaimed television series including “The Nine,” “Eyes,” and a remake of the hit series “The Fugitive.” Other notable television acting credits include HBO’s “From the Earth to the Moon,” NBC’s comedy series “Wings,” and ABC’s miniseries “Storm of the Century.” He also starred in the Showtime telepic “The Outsider.” Daly’s theatre credits include Broadway’s “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial” and the off-Broadway hit, “The Exonerated.” Most recently, he starred in the Williamstown Theatre Festival’s “Six Degrees of Separation.” In addition to his acting work, Daly was one of the producers on the documentary film “PoliWood,” directed by Berry Levinson. “PoliWood” presents an in-depth look at the 2008 presidential election, blending footage from the Republican and Democratic conventions as well as interviews with celebrities and key political figures. Daly’s association and work with “PoliWood” stems from his involvement with The Creative Coalition, serving as co-president alongside Dana Delany.

ROBIN BRONK: If you had five minutes in the Oval Office with President Obama, what would you discuss with him? What issue would you like him to know about?

TIM DALY: I would discuss the importance of the arts to the American economy and to our culture. Entertainment is America’s second largest export and yet it does not get the same respect or attention as other American industries. The dialogue about “Arts in America” must change and it should start at the top. There is so much talk in Washington about cutting spending, but what about money spent that has a great rate of return? Every dollar spent on the National Endowment of the Arts returns seven dollars in tax revenue! I think most Americans would take those odds to Vegas or Wall Street any day of the week. Students that have a rigorous curriculum in the arts are much more likely to graduate from high school, do better in math and science, and are less of a burden on the healthcare, welfare and criminal justice systems. It starts with the arts. I would ask the president to be the leader in changing our attitude about one of our greatest resources … the arts!

RB: If you could give President Obama one piece of advice, what would that be?

TD: Work harder at letting the public know that your presidency is very successful during unusually trying times. You’ve appointed two Supreme Court justices, passed a major healthcare initiative, cut taxes for the middle class, staved off a Depression and gotten the country back on a path to progress.  Make sure America knows what a good job you are doing!

RB: If you could ask President Obama one question, what would that be?

TD: Three pointer or drive the lane for a layup?

RB: Would you ever consider a political career?

TD: No. Too many skeletons in my closet.

Bronk is a seasoned Capitol Hill strategist and advocate. She started her career at The Creative Coalition, a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy group for the arts and entertainment industry, in July 1998. During her tenure as CEO, Bronk has taken The Creative Coalition from a New York-based entity to a national organization. www.thecreativecoalition.org